BIG Day of Giving comes to Yolo County

Tuesday, May 6, is the BIG Day of Giving in Yolo County and throughout the Sacramento region. It's also a National Day of Giving, with more than 150 communities participating. From midnight until 11:59 p.m., individuals are encouraged to go to the www.givelocalnow.org website and make a donation to their favorite nonprofit(s) - or to groups that may be new to them but which serve in areas they are interested in.

The BIG Day of Giving is a program of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, Yolo Community Foundation and Placer Community Foundation. It is part of a larger movement to increase charitable giving in the region and to support local and regional nonprofits. Through the GiveLocalNow website, you can designate a gift to one or more of 400 area nonprofits that have completed an extensive 'profile' on the site. Each group's profile lists board members, projects and activities, and three years of financial data.

There are more than 40 nonprofits based in Yolo County participating in the BIG Day of Giving, including several in Woodland: Ark Preschool, Woodland Literacy Council, Woodland Friends of the Library, Cache Creek Conservancy, Food Bank of Yolo County, Woodland Opera House, WAVE, and the Woodland Schools Foundation. The full list can be found at the GiveLocalNow website.

Gifts made on May 6 will be matched on a pro-rated basis from a pool of more than $250,000 that has already been raised from area businesses and individuals. There will also be cash 'prizes' for the nonprofits in categories such as the group that gets the first donation after midnight, the group that raises the most funds during the lunch hour, etc. All participating nonprofits are encouraged to reach out to their current supporters and their friends and neighbors. Social media will play a big role during the day, so keep your eye on your email, Facebook and Twitter accounts to see what your friends are doing - and join them in the excitement of growing philanthropic giving in the region.

The goal on May 6 is to raise at least $1 million dollars from 5,000 donors.